Scotland Guide
The Highlands
The Knoydart peninsula
Flanked by Loch Nevis ("Loch of Heaven") in the south and the fjord-like inlet of Loch Hourn ("Loch of Hell") to the north, Knoydart peninsula's knobbly green peaks – three of them Munros – sweep straight out of the sea, shrouded for much of the time in a pall of grey mist. To get to the heart of the peninsula, you must catch a boat from Mallaig or Glenelg, or else hike for a couple of days across rugged moorland and mountains and sleep rough in old stone bothies (most of which are marked on Ordnance Survey maps).
At the end of the eighteenth century, around a thousand people eked out a living from this inhospitable terrain through crofting and fishing. These days the peninsula supports around seventy people, most of whom live in the hamlet of INVERIE. Nestled beside a sheltered bay on the south side of the peninsula, it has a pint-sized post office, a shop, and mainland Britain's most remote pub.
Three-quarters of a mile east of the village on the side of the mountain, there's an upmarket independent hostel, Torrie Shieling ( 
01687/462669, 
torrie@knoydart.org; £16), while the Knoydart Foundation runs a simple bunkhouse ( 01687/462242, 
www.knoydart-foundation.com ; £14) nearby in some old steadings. In Inverie itself there are a couple of guesthouses, the cosy PierHouse ( 01687/462347, www.thepierhouseknoydart.co.uk ; Price: ₤91-110 for dinner, B&B), and The Gathering ( 01687/460051, www.thegatheringknoydart.co.uk ; Price: ₤71-90), which has some bunk beds and beautiful wood furnishings. The 
Old Forge is one of Scotland's finer pubs, with a convivial atmosphere where visitors and locals mix happily, generous bar meals often feature freshly caught seafood, real ales, an open fire, and a good chance of live music of an evening. You can rent mountain bikes from PierHouse. Your best source of information for walking and wildlife in the area (including guided walks) is from the ranger post ( 01687/462242) beside the Old Forge.